What impact does the new urbanization in China's Yangtze River economic belt have on the ecological environment?

New urbanization (NU) construction is the basic direction of urbanization development in contemporary China. This paper selects the panel data of 36 representative cities in the Yangtze River economic belt (YREB) from 2006 to 2020, calculates the comprehensive index of NU and ecological environment (EE) by employing the entropy method, analyzes the spatial agglomeration characteristics of EE through spatial autocorrelation analysis, and tests the spatial effect of NU on EE on the basis of the dynamic spatial Durbin model. Results show that first, "time inertia" and spatial dependence exist in the urban EE of the YREB. Second, the NU has a positive role in promoting the EE. The development of NU in this area not only promotes the EE in this area, but also promotes the improvement of the EE in neighboring areas. Third, the increase in per capita wealth and the adjustment in industrial structure are beneficial to the improvement of EE. This paper discusses the impact of China's NU development on the urban EE. Results reveal the relationship between affluence, technological progress, industrial structure, opening to the outside world, environmental regulation, and EE. This study provides decision-making reference for the government in formulating sustainable strategies.